WASHINGTON — During joint military training exercises, a part of U.S. President Barack Obama’s push to confront the looming Chinese military threat, Navy jet fighters had to drop bombs in the Great Barrier Reef.

Reuters reports that their original target was too close to at least one civilian boat and had to abort the exercise by dropping the bombs in the Great Barrier Reef.

The Navy said it could retrieve the bombs easily while environmentalists are livid over the action. However, Australian Brigadier General David Coghlan said the site had been used for decades and the risks were manageable.

“We have a long history of good stewardship in that area and we have a solid environmental program,” Coghlan said. “We look at the risk every year, every day.”

China continues to occupy everyone’s mind right now as Russia and Japan formed an alliance to counter Chinese influence in Asia. The U.S. and Australians are conducting joint military exercises in case of future aggression, although China had stolen plans of Australia’s new intelligence agency. China continues to steal U.S. secrets as the Americans protest this cybertheft.

One of the most confusing developments was how an Obama advisor, in his remarks, ignored the cyberattacks issue when discussing relations with Chinese officials.

China continues its saber-rattling by warning Japan for recent policies and statements by politicians, which China sees as aggressive. However, China ignores how its own aggression may have started the escalation in Japan policy.